UNIT 4 – ANCIENT GREECEChapter 11 –Ancient Greek Civilizations (Vocabulary & Notes)

Key Terms (Vocabulary):Section 1:

1. Battle of Marathon - Greek victory over the Persian army that ended the First Persian War

2. Battle of Salamis - Greek victory over the Persian navy during the Second Persian War

3. Peloponnesian League - military alliance led by Sparta4. Delian League - military alliance led by Athens

Section 2:5. sarissa - 18-foot long Macedonian pike6. Alexandria - city founded by Alexander the Great in

Egypt7. Hellenistic - the form of Greek culture that emerged

after Alexander’s conquests

Section 3:8. polytheism - worship of many gods or deities9. mythology - collection of myths or stories that people

tell about their gods and heroes10.lyric poetry - poetic songs11.chorus - in ancient Greek drama, a group of people

who commented on the action of a play and advised the characters

12.Olympic games - in ancient Greece, an athletic competition held every four years in honor of Zeus

13.Delphic oracle - a priestess of Apollo believed by the ancient Greeks to predict the future

Section 4:14.Socratic method - form of teaching in which the teacher asks

students question after question to force them to think more clearly

15.Academy - school of philosophy founded by Plato16.hypothesis - logical guess17.Hippocratic oath - oath taken by medical students swearing to

practice medicine in an ethical way

Section 1 –War in Ancient GreeceObj: Students will know how the Greeks defeated the Persians; the effect of Athens’s rise to dominance; destructive wars that resulted from the rivalry between Athens and Sparta; students will be able to compare and contrast warring factions; identify evidence about the course of ancient Greek wars Expectations: In this section, students will read “War in Ancient Greece”; create an interview of a soldier in one of the great Greek wars; go “On Assignment” in ancient Greece and explore ancient Greek warsKey Ideas:

Greek city-states cooperated to defeat a threat from the mighty Persian empire

After the Persian Wars, Athens became the dominant Greek city-state Rivalry between Athens and Sparta led to a series of wars that weakened all

of Greece

Chapter 11 – Section 1 – War in Ancient GreeceWarfare was frequent in ancient Greece.City-states battled one another over land and resources.In addition to these minor conflicts, there were three major wars in the 400s BC.

Twice – they united to defeat the Persianso These periods of unity were brief among the Greek city-states

Late 400s – they were fighting a destructive war among themselveso The Peloponnesian War

THE PERSIAN WARSAfter 546 BC –

Persia conquered the Greek city-state of Ionia in western Asia500 BC –

Ionia rebelledo They were used to governing themselveso The Athenian soldiers helped by burning down the Persian city of

Sardis Persian king Darius was enraged

o His troops recaptures Ionia o Darius now set out to conquer all of Greece

Darius Invades Greece490 BC – The Battle of Marathon

20,000 Persian soldiers sailed for Greece They landed in the plain of Marathon, near Athens

o The plain seemed like a perfect battleground for the Persian cavalry Athenian infantry rushed to Marathon Their situation looked hopeless

o Athenians outnumbered 2 to 1o Unlike the Persians, they had no archers or cavalry

Still, despite disadvantages, Athenians attacked the day after the Persians landed.

Dawn –o Greek phalanxes raced across the plaino Took Persians by surpriseo Panicked Persians fled to their ships

The unexpected Greek victory ended the First Persian WarLegend:Tells of a messenger who died after running 26 miles to carry the news of the victory back to Athens.Ever since then, the word “marathon” has been used to describe a challenging footrace.

Xerxes AttacksDarius died before he could launch another attackHis son Xerxes was determined to defeat the Greeks and began the Second Persian War480 BC –

Xerxes assembled an invasion force of about 100,000 men. The Persian empire was the superpower of this time

o Because it controlled Egypt, Persia was able to add the Egyptian army to its ranks.

o They did not have a navy, they used the Phoenician ships Phoenicia was also part of their empire

The Spartans moved north to block the huge armyo Led by King Leonidas

a small Spartan force stopped the Persians at a narrow mountain pass

Thermopylaeo They held off the invaders for dayso A Greek traitor showed the Persians another path through the

mountainso The Spartans were attacked from both sideso They were known as the “300” who dies heroically in defense of

Greece

Victory for AthensThe Persians now advanced on Athens

There was no Greek army to stop themAthenian leader Themistocles convinced Athenians to flee to nearby islands.

When the Persians reached Athens they found the city almost emptyXerxes burned Athens and sent his ships to pursue the Greek navy.

Persians:o 1,200 warships, three times more than the Greekso Xerxes, sure of a victory

Had his throne placed on a hill to watch the naval battle The Battle of Salamis

Themistocles:o Had set a trap for the Persianso He kept his Greek ships hidden until Persian ships filled the narrow

strait of Salamis Then they attacked

o They rammed the crowded Persian ships splintering their hullso By nightfall

The strait was clogged by more than 200 broken Persian ships The Greeks lost about 40 ships

The Battle of Salamis broke the Persian naval powero Another defeat for Xerxes on land

The Persians returned homeThe end of the second Persian War(pg 330 in TB)

ATHENS RIVALS SPARTAAfter defeating the Persians at Salamis:

Athens was enjoying a “golden age”o Pericles began rebuilding the city

City became famous for its art and learningo The wealth and power of the city increased

However, trouble was brewing:o Greece now had no rival powerso Athens the strongest navyo Sparta the strongest army

Each wanting to be the supreme power in Greeceo their rivalry would lead to deadly conflict

Delian LeagueSoon after the Persian wars, Athens formed an alliance with other city-states.Because Athens and its allies met together on the island of Delos, their alliance was called the Delian League.

Members promised:o to protect one another from Persia o Provide ships or money for defense

This money was kept in the League’s treasure on Delos.o There were about 150 members

All were supposed to be equal However, Athens was by far the most powerful

Their ships protected Greek traders and travelers They were able to protect their grain supply coming

from the Black Sea due to their alliance with city-states on the Aegean Sea.

Athens ran the Delian League as if it were its own empireo Rather than an alliance of equalso They brought some cities into the League by forceo They blocked other cities from leaving

When Naxos tried to leave, Athens attacked the city-state and forced it to stay

The arrogant behavior of the Athenians angered other League memberso Rather than asking city-states to contribute ships, etco Athens requested money instead

They used the money to build its own navyo it continued to collect funds even when there was no fighting with

Persiao They forced League members to use “Athenian currency” instead of

their own. 454 BC –

o Athenian leaders moved the League’s treasury from Delos to Athens Soon after, the League money was being used to rebuild

Athens Some of the money went to the construction of the

Parthenon, the great temple to Athena in the Acropolis of Athens

(pg 331 in TB)

Other members of the Delian League came to resent this use of the funds.

The Peloponnesian LeagueThe Spartans had already formed their own alliance on the Peloponnesian Peninsula.It is known today as the Peloponnesian League

Like Sparta, other members feared the power of Athens and its style of government

o Athens’ government was democratico Sparta and most of its allies were oligarchies

433 BC – Sparta’s Peloponnesian League and Athens’ Delian League came into

conflict.o Athens:

Placed a ban on trade with Megara This angered the Peloponnesian members, who now

prepared for war The Athenians and its allies did the same

o Both sides were confident of a quick and easy victory

THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR431 BC – war between the two Greek alliances broke out

This conflict, once thought to be quick and easy victory, lasted on and off for 27 years.

The Siege of AthensHow the war began:

An army, led by Sparta, marched into Athenian territory. Athenian leader, Pericles, instructed farmers of the countryside to move

inside the walled city for safety The Spartans settled down around Athens for a long siege

o A siege’s goal is to force the enemy to surrender by cutting off its supplies through surrounding it.

Athens were prepared for the siegeo They built two long walls to line the four-mile road connecting

Athens to its port city As long as these walls stood, Athenians could receive supplies

The Athenians held our for more than a year Then, behind the walled city, a plague broke out

o The city was overcrowdedo Thousands of people died in Athenso Among the dead:

Pericleso To avoid catching the disease themselves, Spartans left the region

around Athens The war dragged on….

o Sparta with its powerful armyo Athens with its strong navy

They found it difficult to defeat each other Athens sent ships to attack Spartan-allied cities, such as Sicily Sparta seemed near defeat until it began winning some important victories. 421 BC –

o Both sides agreed to a truce, which they discussed peace terms(pg 332 in TB)

Athens SurrendersWithin a few years, the truce was broken

Athens launched another invasion of Sicilyo Spartan and Greeks of Sicily destroyed the Athenian forceso Athens lost a large part of its navy at Syracuse.

Athens desperately weakened. Persia saw a chance to deal Athens a fatal blow.

Persia gave Sparta money so it could build its own powerful navyThe Battle of Aegospotami –

404 BC –o With its new fleet, Sparta defeated the Athenian navy

After this, Sparta attacked Athens itself.Once again, Athens resisted

But, Sparta’s new navy was able to keep food from reaching Athens by seao Athenians began to starveo The following year, the city of Athens was forced to surrender

The peace terms were harsh: Long walls had to be destroyed Athenians were made to give-up their democratic

governmento Although democracy was soon restored, Athens

had lost its powerThe Peloponnesian War hurt all the city-states.

Thousands of Greeks were slaughtered Cities were destroyed Government fell Trade dropped Still, constant feuding of Greek city-states continued

Throughout the 300s BC – Greeks fighting among themselves

o Ignoring the threat of powerful Macedonia A northern kingdom that would soon unite them by force

Section 2 – Alexander’s EmpireObj: Students will know Macedonia’s defeat of the Greek city-states; the conquest of vast territory by Alexander; the spread of Hellenistic culture throughout Alexander’s empire; students will be able to sequence events that occurred during the conquests of Philip and Alexander; recognize the influence of Greek cultureExpectations: In this section, students will read “Alexander’s Empire”; recognize biased statements about Alexander; go “On Assignment” in Alexander’s empire and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

The Macedonian rulers Philip and Alexander conquered the Greek city-states and united Greece

Alexander the Great went on to conquer an empire stretching from Egypt to India

Alexander’s empire helped spread Greek culture across a wide area

Chapter 11 – Section 2 – Alexander’s EmpireThe Greeks told a story about Alexander the Great, the young man who set out to conquer the world:

One afternoon, a 12-year old Alexander, the prince of Macedonia, watchedhis father, King Philip II, barter over a horse. It was a fine black stallion, but it was also angry and unruly. The king decided that the horse could not be tamed. As the king turned away, Alexander grabbed the reins. Alexander sensed that the horse’s wildness was caused by fear. He turned the horse to face the sun so that it would no longer be frightened by its own shadow. Alexander quickly calmed and mounted the horse, to everyone’s astonishment. The king bought the horse for Alexander, who named him Bucephalus. Bucephalus never allowed anyone else to ride him. He carried Alexander into many battles as a young Macedonian fought for world conquest.

The Rise of MacedoniaMacedonia –

North of the Greek peninsula Had their own traditions (Greeks considered old-fashioned) Still governed by kings (unlike most Greek city-state at this time) Despite differences, Macedonians were influenced by Greek culture

Philip of MacedoniaMacedonia briefly part of the Persian empire

After Xerxes and Persia’s defeat in the second Persian War, Macedonia regained their independence.

Their kingdom expanded over the lands north of Greece One of the rulers was Philip

o Brillianto Ambitiouso Gained power after his brother was killed in battle in 359 BC.

Brother was the Macedonian kingo The king’s son was only an infanto The nobles of Macedonia elected Philip as kingo Philip built up a powerful army and developed new tactics

He organized the infantry into phalanxes Armed each man with an 18-foot long sarissa (pike)

Much longer spear than the Greeks Gave them an edge in battle

o Keep enemies at a greater distance Trained his men to change directions in battle without losing

formationo Philip’s soldiers were a powerful force.o He proved the value of his ideas soon after becoming king

His powerful army defeated the Illyrians Illyrians has won a victory over the Macedonians just a

few months before

Philip Conquers GreecePhilip turned to conquer GreeceFirst, he had to win the loyalty of each city-state with diplomacy.

When these tactics failed, he went to war338 BC –

Philip His son, Alexander

o Who led the cavalry Won a decisive battle in central Greece over the combined armies of

Thebes and Athens. Philip gained control of all of Greece

o The city-states were allowed to keep their governmento They were expected to support Philip and his next goad:

war against Persia As preparations for the invasion of Asia were being made,

Philip was assassinated during his daughter’s wedding

ALEXANDER’S CONQUESTSAlexander was 20 years old when he gained the throne.

Already a military leader Filled with dreams of glory His mind brilliantly shaped by famous scientist and philosopher

o Aristotle Alexander wanted to be like the hero in his favorite book, a book given to h

is by Aristotleo The book -The Illiado The hero – Achilles

This ambition would inspire his spectacular conquests

Securing GreeceAlexander’s first task – secure control of Greece

After Philip’s death some city-states tried to regain their independenceo Alexander quickly crushed these revolts

To discourage future rebellions, he burned Thebes to the groundWith Greece secure, he turned eastward.334 BC – Asia

30,000 foot soldiers 5,500 cavalry Alexander himself

o He inspired fierce loyalty among his soldiers by personally leading them in battle

World ConquestIn Asia, Alexander freed the Ionian city-states from Persian ruleThen he marched south to capture the cities along the Mediterranean coastThen the army marched to Egypt

He was welcomed by the Egyptians for liberating them from Persian rule

Before leaving Egypt, he founded the city of Alexandria on the edge of the Nile delta

From Egypt, he headed back toward Persia330 BC – he defeated the Persian king

Alexander was not satisfied, his eyes were fixed on a greater goal – world conquest.He led his army farther east – present-day Afghanistan and India.

These were lands no Greek had ever seenAlexander had built a vast empire in only 11 years, earning him the title “Alexander the Great”As fate would have it, Alexander’s luck was turning:

After his last battle in present-day Pakistan:o His horse Bucephalus died of battle woundso His army mutinied and refused to conquer any more lands

His army headed west323 BC – Alexander died of a fever in Babylon

He was not quite 33 years old His infant son was too young to take control of the empire His generals divided the empire into kingdoms

o One kingdom, in Egypt, was ruled by a general named Ptolemy His family ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years Cleopatra was the last member of this family to rule Egypt

A New WorldAlexander founded Greek-style cities everywhere he went.In these cities, Greek customs mingled with the ideas and art of other lands.Out of this emerged a new form of Greek culture called “Hellenistic”

The work Hellenistic comes from the Greeks’ word for themselveso Hellenes

This period begins with the death of Alexander until about 30 BCAlexander’s empire was short-lived, but the world was forever changed by his conquests.(Alexander the Great’s empire, pg 336 in TB)

Section 3 – Ancient Greeks Beliefs and ArtsObj: students will know the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology; the influence of Greek art, architecture, poetry, and drama; students will be able to identify important ideas and details about Greek religion; synthesize information on the Greek artsExpectations: In this section, students will read “Ancient Greek Beliefs and Arts”; create a mural about Greek arts; go “On Assignment” in the arts of Greece and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

Ancient Greek religion was based on a belief in many gods Greek art and architecture have remained influential to the present day Greek writers contributed to the development of lyric poetry and drama

Chapter 11 – Section 3 – Ancient Greeks Beliefs and ArtsGreek children grew up hearing many stories about their gods.In one tale, a proud girl named Arachne boasts that her weaving skills are better than those of the goddess Athena.Athena challenges Arachne to a weaving competition.When Arachne creates a tapestry that mocks the gods, Athena is furious.The goddess changes the girl into a spider, condemned to weave webs forever.The Greeks told the story of Arachne as a warning against the sin of excessive pride.

GREEK RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGYThe ancient Greeks practiced polytheism.A deity, or god, is a being with supernatural powers.Unlike the gods of Egypt, Greek gods looked, and behaved, like human beings.

Greek MythologyMythology is how the Greeks expressed their religious beliefs

Some myths explained the changing of the seasons Others revealed why so much suffering exists in the world Many explained human behavior Many taught moral lessons Some told stories of heroes

o Herculeso Achilles

Myths and stories are still read and retold todayo They reveal important truths about human nature and why people

act certain wayso They also describe entertaining adventures

Many Gods and GoddessesZeus –

The supreme ruler of the gods Lord of the sky God of rain Lived on Mount Olympus (as did the other gods and goddesses) Threw thunder and lightning bolts

o When he was displeased with someoneHera –

Zeus’ wife Protected married women and their households

Poseidon – One of Zeus’ brothers God of the sea When angry:

o Caused earthquakeso Made the seas churno Ruled the Kraken

Hades – Zeus’s other brother Did not live on Olympus Ruled and lived in the underworld

o Inhabited by the souls of the deadOther gods –

Apolloo god of the arts, prophecy and healing

Areso god of war

Aphroditeo goddess of love and beauty

Demetero goddess of farming and harvesting

Athena –o Another popular goddesso Her myth:

She had given the Greeks the gift of an olive tree Guardian of Athens She would appear when the Greeks fought against other

peoples to help themGreek gods and goddesses behaved like human beings.They fell in love, got married, and had children.They liked to celebrate and play tricksThey also felt jealousy and rage(the Twelve Olympians – pg 339 in TB)

Greek Religion and LifeThe Greeks honored their gods with public and private religious rituals.

Public meetings began with prayers and animal sacrificeso Women played important roles in some of these public ceremonies

In private homes, shrines honoring their favorite god or goddessEach city-state built temples to its patron deityOn holy days:

Citizens made sacrifices in front of the gods’ temples Peopled offered:

o Goldo Cakeso Wineo Prized animals

People asked the gods for favors, such as:o Good crops o Good health

Athletic ContestsSome religious festivals included athletic contestsTo honor the gods , athletes displayed their skill and strength - competed in:

Boxing Wrestling Running Throwing spears and discus

Leading competitions brought together athletes from many city-states.The most famous event was the Olympic Games

Honoring Zeus Took place every four years During these games any and all conflicts between city-states stopped Travelers came from all over the Mediterranean The festival site was at Olympia Site was crowded with:

o Merchantso Food sellerso Artisans

Winners became celebrities Successful athletes were rewarded with privileges and fame, instead of

money

Sacred SitesHomes to gods or spirits were considered sacred sites to the Greeks

Trees Springs Others places

o Mount Olympus, an important sacred site Northern Greece Believed to be the home to the 12 Olympians (major gods)

o Delphi Slopes of Mount Parnassus Contained many shrines

Most important, the holy Temple of Apolloo It was home to the Delphic oracleo People traveled from all over to ask the priestess

questions about their futureo Many left confused because the oracle answered

with puzzling statements of riddles that could be interpreted in several ways

THE ARTS OF ANCIENT GREECEThe Greeks had a strong appreciation of beauty.Expressed in:

Painting Sculpture Architecture

Even ordinary objects were carefully designed: Vases Jugs

Although much of their paintings have not survived, Greek statues and buildings have been admired for generations.

PaintingFrom descriptions of ancient writers, we know:

Ancient painting was realistic Painters created impression with depth and perspective

SculptureEarly sculptures show strong Egyptian influenceGradually sculptures developed a style that was much more realistic than any other sculpture in the ancient world.Greek sculptors created images of humans and deities

Seemingly inhabiting an ideal world of calm and peace They often used this style to decorate temples and gravestones

They honored their deities by creating huge statues of gods and goddesses for shrines and temples.They also carved scenes to decorate temple walls.

ArchitectureLike sculptures, it was inspired by the proportions of the human bodyArchitects tried to achieve perfection in their work

Created buildings that gave a sense of balance and harmonyo The finest example:

The Parthenon Built to honor Athena Architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed it Graceful marble columns in support of the roof

Above the columns, bands of sculptures showing images of the gods and humans

Inside the temple stood a giant statue of the goddess Athens

o Designed by sculptor Phidias(pg 341 in TB)People today think of Greek buildings and statues as dazzling white marble.In ancient times these words would have been painted

Statues would have:o Colored eyeso Skino Hair

Making them appear real Over time, however, the ancient colors have faded

LiteratureLike other arts, Greek literature was linked with religion.Some religious festivals included contests between poets.Others included plays based on myths

Homer’s Illiad and Odysseyo These epic poems reflected the Greeks’ belief that the gods

controlled human lives

Lyric PoetryGreeks who came after Homer wrote shorter poems.

Performers often sand these poems while playing the stringed lyreo These poetic songs became known as lyric poetry

Lyric poetry was based on many different subjects:o Pindar praised victorious athleteso Alcaeus wrote about politics and waro Sappho wrote about human emotions

Most of her works were lost, she was greatly admired in ancient times

Greek DramaThe roots of modern western theaterThe word drama means play or performance on stage in Greek.

Other Greek terms are: theater tragedy comedy scene

Greek drama developed from performance honoring the god Dionysus.Early plays:

individual actors performed the character roles chorus commented on the action and advised the characters in time, plays became central feature at festivals

o prizes were awarded for: best play best actor best chorus

Two types of plays: tragedy

o traced the downfall of heroic figures caught in violent conflicts with: family their city the gods

o famous writers of these tragedies are: Sophocles Aeschylus Euripides

o Modern playwrights continue to draw inspiration from the plots and themes of ancient Greed tragedies.

comedyo ended happilyo dealt with current events o made amusing observations about Greek:

society culture politicians

o most famous comic playwright was Aristophanes

The Frogs Lysistrata

Aesop’s FablesAnother form of Greek literature is the fable

A story that teaches a moral lesson Most famous writer is Aesop

o Legend: He was a slave who lived on the Greek island of Samos during

the 500s BC Freed as a reward for his learning Traveled widely collecting and retelling his fables

o Many on his fables are still familiar The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Moral - avoid spreading false alarms The Tortoise and the Hare

Moral – slow and steady wins the race

Section 4 – Ancient Greek LearningObj: Students will Greek philosophers, scientists, and historians; the importance of ancient Alexandria, Egypt, as a learning and trading center; students will be able to summarize Greek advances in science, math, and medicine; draw conclusions about important scholars and scientists of ancient GreeceExpectations: In this section, students will read “Ancient Greek Learning”; make up clues about notable thinkers of ancient Greece; go “On Assignment” to learn about ancient Greek learning and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

Greek scholars made important contributions in both philosophy and history

The ancient Greeks pioneered scientific and medical discoveries by examining nature

Greek learning continued to grow and spread during the Hellenistic age

Chapter 11 – Section 4 – Ancient Greek LearningThe Great Lighthouse of Alexandria

Guided ships into the harbor when they arrived by night One of the wonders of the ancient world

The Great Library of Alexandria The largest library of its time Built to protect all the progress and important advances made in the many

fields of knowledge by the Greeks:o Historyo Scienceo Mathematicso Medicineo Philosophy

Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, quickly became the most magnificent city of the ancient world.

Its museum and library attracted scholars from many lands

GREEK PHILOSOPHYChinese thinkers were among the world’s first philosophers (Confucius, Laozi)Their goal was to pursue wisdom.Greek philosophers had the same goal.The word “philosophy” comes from Greeks words meaning “love of wisdom”

The Importance of ReasonGreeks began their search for wisdom by asking questions to those the Chinese asked:

What is the nature of the universe? What is a good life?

But the Greeks took their search a step furtherThey also asked:

How do we know what is real? How can we determine what is true?

The Greeks believed that they could answer these questions by using the human power of reason.

The power to think clearlyTo increase their thinking power, the Greeks developed a system of reasoning known as logic.

Involves a step-by-step method of thinking through a problem or question

Socrates and PlatoSeveral important philosophers lived in AthensSocrates:

Wandered around the city drawing other Athenians into discussion Asked question after question to force his listeners to think more clearly

o Today this question-and-answer method of teaching is called Socratic method

o Used to instruct students in a variety of subjects He discussions challenged accepted beliefs Eventually this got him into trouble with the leaders of Athens

o They charged him with corrupting the youngo Also accused of not believing in the gods recognized by whichever

city he was preaching ino He was arrestedo He defended himselfo Fairly or not, he was found guiltyo Sentenced to death (399 BC)

Plato: Student of Socrates Recorded Socrates’ ideas in a series of conversations called dialogues Went on to found a school of philosophy called

o The Academy Today, the word academy often means a school of higher learning He was interested in the nature of reality He remains one of the most influential thinks in history

StoicismDuring the Hellenistic period, new philosophers arose.One group:

The Stoicso Founded by Zenoo To them, divine reason governed the universe

People needed to live in harmony with natureo Tried to master their emotions through self-control

HISTORY AND POLITICSTheir search for wisdom let the Greeks to study the past.Greek historians:

Recorded events More importantly, examined why these events took place

Greek HistoriansHerodotus –

Often called “the father of history” He asked why certain events happened Born 484 BC Lived during the Second Persian War In his masterwork – The Histories based on the war, he described:

o The cultures of both peoples carefullyo Investigates the causes of the conflict between Greece and Persia

Thucydides of Athens – Born in 460 BC Lived during the Peloponnesian War Began writing while events of the war were fresh in people’s memories He visited the battle site before writing about it He would interview people who participated in the event Hoped his history would be accurate Hoped it would help people avoid repeating the mistakes of the past

Xenophon – Lived from about 427 BC to around 355 BC Traveled widely in Persian empire and Greece He wrote the first known autobiography in world history Believed that the study of history could teach people how to live moral lives

Political ThinkersGreek writers also discussed politics and governmentExamples:

Plato wrote The Republico Views of an ideal governmento Did not approve of democracy, thought philosopher-kings had more

wisdom to make the correct decisions Aristotle wrote Politics

o Comparing existing governmentso He believed citizens must participate in politics in order to be happy

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYMost ancient peoples associated everyday occurrences with the activities of various gods

Rising of the sun Common illnesses The earth quaking

While most Greeks shared these beliefs, some began to look for natural causes of these events.

The Power of ObservationLike modern scientists, the ancient Greeks first made observations of nature.Then they formed hypotheses (logical guesses) to explain their observations.This way of thinking was new in the ancient world.

This laid foundations of modern science, mathematics, and medicine

The Natural SciencesGreek philosophers began the scientific study of nature.

They believed natural laws govern the universe They set out to identify and explain those laws

Scientific thinkers: Thales of Miletus

o Born around 624 BCo Asked question such as:

How big is the Earth? What is its shape? What holds it up in space?

o In each case, he based his answers on his observations of nature**Greek scientists were not always correctFor example:

Thales believed:o All things are made of watero The Earth was a disk that floated on water

Even though these ideas were incorrect, he inspired other thinkers to use logic to develop answers

Democrituso Said the universe was made up of tiny particles that could not be split

Called them atoms Aristotle

o The most famous natural philosophero Born in 384 BCo Studied at Plato’s Academy

Called the Lyceumo Unlike Plato, who distrusted the senses, Aristotle sought knowledge

through observation o he analyzed data about plants, animals, and rocks.o He studied mathematics and logico He analyzed government and the artso He realized the Earth was round by observing the position of the

stars as he traveled north

TechnologyThe Greeks put their powers of observation to practical use as they developed sophisticated technology.400s – on –

Greeks invented all kinds of mechanisms:o Water clockso Watermillso Locks

They understood the principle of steam powero They used to operate mechanical statues, gadgets, and toys

Archimedes is said to have created a weapon that used mirrors to redirect the sun’s light to set fire to enemy ships

o An early laser????

MATHEMATICS AND MEDICINEGreek thinkers often excelled in many different fields

Thales, the philosopher, was also a leading mathematiciano Greeks believed he studied geometry in Egypto This cultural exchange helped produce Greek mathematics and

medicine in its Hellenistic period(The First Computer? Pg 348 in TB)

MathematicsThe Greeks first discovered many basic concepts in mathematics

Pythagoras of Samos, an early Greek mathematiciano Thought that numbers were the key to understanding the universeo He developed the idea of “square numbers”o Today students of geometry still learn the Pythagorean theorem

A theorem is a statement in mathematics that can be proved to be true

MedicineGreeks are also contributors in the field of medicineGreek doctors looked for natural causes of illnesses instead of blaming them on the gods.Their success on treatment brought them fame throughout the Mediterranean worldGreek doctors practiced surgery and dentistry

Hippocrates – o Best-known Greek doctoro Wrote many medical bookso Ran a school that trained new doctorso Taught his students to diagnose patients by asking them questions

and making observations to learn about their symptomso Had his students swear an oath

Students promised to use their knowledge only in ethical wayso The Hippocratic oath still guides doctors today

(oath on pg 349 in TB)

Greeks and EgyptiansAlexandria, Egypt became an important center for the study of medicineThe Greeks benefited from the medical knowledge of the Egyptians

Egyptian doctors carefully examined patients and recorded their symptomsGreeks went further and sought to understand the reason for a patient’s illness

Greek societies frowned on dissection of the human body Two scientists working in Alexandria studied human anatomy there

o Herophilus and Erasistratus In Alexandria, the doctors realized that

the optic nerve linked the eye to the brain The brain was the center of thought The pulse sent blood through the arteries

(Greek doctors and scientists, pg 349 in TB)

HELLENISTIC LEARNINGAristotle’s interest in the world deeply impresses his student Alexander the Great.When Alexander led his army into Asia, he brought scientists to study local plants and animals.Alexander’s support for research flourished in one of the cities that he founded

Alexandria, the Greek capital of Egypt(pg 350 in TB)

Alexandria, EgyptFrom handling trade between people of three continents Alexandria grew rich.Wealth helped fund projects like the Great Library

Founded by Ptolemies, Hellenistic rulers of Egypt Their goal:

o Acquire a copy of every book in the worldo Over the years, the collection grew to about 500,000 books, rolls, or

scrolls.

City of ScholarsAlexandria’s library and museums attracted the most important scholars in history.

Here:o Jewish scholars created the Septuagint

Translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greeko Euclid, an important mathematician

300 BC – wrote “Elements” brought together all that was known about geometry this work still forms the basis of many modern geometry

textbookso Archimedes –

Spent most of his live in Syracuse May have studied in Alexandria Created many useful inventions

Archimedean screwo Still used to lift water for irrigation or drain

swamps He also made important contributions to mathematics

Greek Culture SpreadsAlexander’s conquests helped spread the Greek cultureIn Italy:

Greek culture influenced the Romanso Long before they conquered the Greek lands

The union of Greek and Roman culture created what we call Greco-Roman, or classical civilization.

**The Romans would spread this civilization across even larger parts of the world.